High school reunion
by Anne Bensler
Summary: My first little story for the lovely 80's couple, Lee Stetson (aka Scarecrow) and Amanda King. Set right after the season 3 episode "The Triumvirate" Just a little romantic one-shot where their feelings finally come to light.


**I wanted to do a romantic little one-shot during the holidays AND I finally wanted to write something for this cute couple from the 80's so here it is.**

 **Setting is the high school reunion that's mentioned at the end of "Scarecrow and Mrs. King" season 3, episode "The Triumvirate". Wouldn't it have been fun to actually see them go to that reunion together? Please try to read the dialogue in their actual voices. I really tried to make them lifelike!**

* * *

Amanda King hadn't intended to go to the reunion at all. They'd just had a very unnerving few days and she just hadn't seen herself wearing that hideous dress from the sixties. All she had really wanted to do was curl up with a good book and some hot chocolate and let her mind wander a bit.

It wandered to Lee a lot lately.

She had been trying very hard to stop her mind from going there before the idea could take root in her thoughts, but he hadn't made it easy for her; especially this past week. But then again, she'd thought he might be interested in her before, only to find out that there was a new 'lady friend' in his life again. He always seemed to have some woman expecting him somewhere. Women would even take him along for whole weekends out of the state or even out of the country. With not one but _four_ black books, he certainly never needed to be lonely. And she wasn't anything like the women he dated anyway. She was just a suburban housewife after all.

The nicest lady Amanda had met so far in his apartment had been Leslie, the translator. Come to think of it, that was also the last lady she'd met that Lee was seeing or that he'd mentioned. Perhaps he had decided it was better not to mention his conquests anymore after basically throwing her out of his apartment that day. And then he'd turned around and asked _her_ to come over for dinner the next evening.

Lee Stetson was a very confusing man.

He had only added to her surprise and confusion when he'd shown up in her backyard tonight, all dressed up, offering to be her date to the reunion. They'd make the perfect couple, he'd said and suddenly she had wanted to go after all.

And so here she was and she really did feel like she was back in high school right now. The school had been decorated in style, the music was the same as back then and almost everyone was dressed up as requested by the organization. She and Lee really didn't stand out, even if she had ditched the dress her mother had gotten for her and had chosen a dark blue one with tiny pink flowers on it instead. Lee had complimented her on it, saying that the dark blue accentuated her warm skin tone, and she'd felt those little butterflies in her stomach again.

It was great to see everyone again, all in their early thirties now and with a lot of life experience under their belts. Some of her former classmates had done really well for themselves, and part of her wished she could tell them about how she was working as a part time spy these days. It sounded so much more exciting than just being a divorced mother of two … and it was, although Jamie and Philip were her whole world and she loved being their mother more than anything.

Amanda didn't miss the looks that some women were giving Lee and she was proud that he was her date. It didn't have to mean anything though, so she'd learned. Tomorrow they would probably be back to the way things were. Still, his disappointment had been palpable when Francine had joined them at the hotel two days ago, saying that she had come to take his place. Maybe there was something shifting between them after all. She just didn't know for sure, like she never did with him.

After a series of upbeat songs, the DJ announced that it was time for some romantic music and put "Blue Velvet" on. There were cheers when everyone tried to find a dance partner quickly to relive the past, slow-dancing on the school dance floor one more time to the beautiful evergreen. Amanda had been chatting with two girls from her old class and jumped a little when she felt two arms wrap around her waist from behind.

"Can I have this dance?" Lee's low voice rumbled next to her ear, making goosebumps erupt all over her skin.

She turned around in his arms and gave him her sweetest smile, hoping to mask her sudden nerves a little. Before she could say anything, Lee was already walking backwards, pulling her along with him until they were on the dance floor with a lot of other couples. His charming smile could make her melt on the spot and she wrapped her arms around his neck when he put his hands on her hips. They were the proverbial slow-dancing sixties couple now and the bright disco lights and romantic music made Amanda feel like a teenager with a crush again.

Only she wasn't. She was a grown woman now who wasn't shy at all and who needed answers. Maybe tonight was the right time to try and get those answers from Lee once and for all. when Lee pulled her so close to him that their cheeks were touching, she took a deep breath and breathed it out slowly before finally telling him,

"You are a very confusing man, Lee Stetson."

"How so, Amanda King?" he asked her, and she could tell he was genuinely curious what she was going to say.

"Well, here you are, all dressed up …"

She created a little bit of distance between them and let her hands glide down to his chest and that silly necklace he was wearing, following her hands with her eyes.

"You're being so sweet tonight and I was thinking. When you do something nice like this, you make me feel like I actually mean something to you …"

When she lifted her eyes to meet his again, she could tell that she now had his undivided attention.

"And then the next week, you almost throw me out of your apartment because you're expecting some … someone you're seeing on and off and I just don't know anymore."

Lee took a breath to say something but Amanda wasn't done.

"No Lee. Let me finish, now that I've gotten this far."

He nodded, rubbing her hips encouragingly.

"I just wonder, you know," she continued bravely. "It doesn't seem like you really have a connection with these women. Aside from … you know … a physical one I guess. As for me, I could never sleep with someone I didn't feel a connection to so I don't really get that. We're very different in that respect, I know that."

She knew she was babbling again but the floodgates had opened and apparently, this was the night to get it all out in the open.

"And then something happens that makes me feel so connected to you and I'm thinking you feel the connection too and … well, I get confused because you keep running off to be with these women you have no connection with at all for some superficial contact. Do you see what I'm saying? You are a very confusing man," she concludes, repeating the words that had started their little talk.

Amanda held her breath then, waiting for his response. Had she been too forward? Too honest? She suddenly didn't know anymore. They were still swaying to the song that was coming to an end now, and she was relieved when it was followed by another romantic song, equally suited to slow-dance to, so they wouldn't have to break apart just yet. The song was "Unchained Melody". A regular swoon song. And then finally, Lee spoke up.

"I do see what you're saying Amanda."

He looked into her eyes very seriously but also with that hint of tenderness that could always render her weak in the knees.

"I see exactly what you're saying," he repeated. "And all I can say is, that I've been confused myself and I guess that's been making me this … confusing."

They both chuckled and Amanda moved her hands from Lee's chest back up to his shoulders. They were still slow-dancing after all.

"Why are you confused then?" she asked him.

She waited for Lee to explain but he seemed to be looking for the right words while they continued to sway to the music, his arms now wrapped around her waist and holding her close to him.

"You're right about me not having a real connection with my dates. I actually wanted it that way."

"Why?"

Lee dropped his head until they were cheek to cheek again and Amanda suspected that it was easier for him to talk to her when they weren't looking at each other. Her heart was beating fast and her hands were clammy, but she wanted to hear whatever he had to say.

"After Eva … I just couldn't do it anymore. I figured it wasn't worth it to get too attached. I still needed the company of course. I'm just a man."

Amanda could hear the apologetic smile in his voice but she didn't feel like smiling and rubbed his back comfortingly. It helped Lee to continue.

"When I lost Dorothy I was heartbroken, but she was killed. She didn't leave me, it wasn't her doing. I was devastated but I still had faith that love would find me again. But when Eva left me to marry someone else I just … it was as if something died inside me. I swore then and there that I was never going to let myself get hurt like that again. I wasn't going to open up to someone ever again. I would only date for some company and for …"

"Sex," Amanda whispered, and she could feel Lee nod.

"And then … I met you."

He was almost whispering now but she was hearing him loud and clear.

"When I got to know you and started sensing that … connection with you as you call it, frankly, it scared the hell out of me. And so I ran away from it in the only way I knew how."

Lee lifted his head and looked into her eyes, and she could see the unspoken apology in his eyes.

"I refused to acknowledge it, Amanda. And I tried to get rid of that feeling by dating other women."

"Oh."

It was starting to make sense now. That push and pull she'd felt hadn't just been her imagination!

"Maybe I was even trying to push you away from me; to turn you off because you could do so much better than a player like me."

"Lee …"

Amanda started shaking her head, wanting to tell him that he wasn't a real player at heart and that he was a good and caring man who would lay down his life for his country and even for her in a heartbeat, but Lee didn't want to hear her praise.

"No, listen Amanda," he said quickly. "I'm not done."

"Okay," she whispered.

"I don't want to push you away anymore."

"No?"

Her stomach was doing somersaults by now.

"No. The strangest thing has happened to me, Amanda. I look forward to coming into the Q Bureau these days because most of the time, you'll be there. I want you to tell me all about your day with your boys and your laughter makes me happy. And when I see you in a beautiful evening gown at a party we attend for a case, I feel the urge to protect your virtue instead of trying to seduce you into something you may not be ready for."

Lee sighed, clearly still struggling with this change he had undergone, but Amanda was very moved by his words. He really wasn't that superficial man he had tried to be. He had a warm and loving heart that had just been hurt too deeply. And he had started to care about her anyway.

"Amanda, I don't want to take anything from you. I just … want to give you whatever _you_ need. And … that still scares the hell out of me but … for the first time in a long, long time, I think I finally trust someone again."

Lee swallowed hard and Amanda bit her lip. He'd told her before that he trusted her but until now, she had never understood how much that meant to him. And right now, he was showing her his heart and she wasn't going to hurt him. He was taking a chance again for the first time in years and she wanted to show him that his faith in her was justified. When Lee leaned in, her hand moved to the back of his neck and then they were kissing. Tentatively at first, but once she finally felt his lips on hers, and not just to maintain their cover for some case, her own feelings for him took over. Lee moaned softly when she started kissing him back passionately, and he pulled her flush against his body. They were still swaying to the music and when they finally broke apart, the words of yet another love song filled their ears.

 _When I fall in love, it will be forever, or I'll never fall in love._

Amanda looked up at Lee, his face now very close to hers, and she realized that that song was him; the real him. It was all or nothing for Lee and he wanted it all with her.

"I'm done running away, Amanda. This is the real deal for me," he said softly, and all she could do was nod.

It was for her too.

Nat King Cole continued singing, and Lee mouthed the words of the next verse to her, his smile widening after each line.

 _When I give my heart, it will be completely, or I'll never give my heart._

 _And the moment I can feel that you feel that way too, is when I fall in love with you._

"I feel that way too, Lee," she told him softly.

They felt like they were the only two people on that dance floor and when they kissed again, they didn't hear the soft cheers and sighs coming from Amanda's former classmates and their spouses or dates. When the song ended and they broke apart again, a set of more up-tempo songs started and they retreated from the dance floor. Amanda really didn't feel like mingling anymore and the way Lee kept his arm wrapped around her felt so good. She finally didn't have to wonder anymore what it meant and his eyes were reflecting the same relief and happiness she was feeling herself. After another half hour, she said goodbye to her old friends and Lee took her home.

Saying goodnight wasn't easy for either of them. Everything was different now. But Lee told her that he wanted to treat her right. She wasn't going to be just another entry in his black book, he assured her. In fact, he was ready to throw his books out altogether.

"Are you sure about that?" Amanda asked, caressing his cheek. "Won't you want something you can fall back on?"

Lee shook his head and kissed her softly on the lips.

"No. I just want you. And I know your address and phone number by heart."

Amanda giggled and they hugged each other tightly.

"Go out to dinner with me tomorrow night?" Lee asked her, his lips skimming the shell of her ear.

"Love to," Amanda whispered.

"And like I said, I want to do this right," Lee reminded her. "We'll take it slow."

Amanda pulled back just far enough to be able to look into his eyes and her own eyes sparkled when she told him,

"Well, just don't take it too slow, alright? I think I've waited long enough for you."

Lee laughed out loud at that and she loved to hear him laugh. He promised her that they'd go at her pace.

"Good," Amanda said simply, before kissing him deeply once more, making her intentions very clear to him. They'd go at her pace indeed. And he was in for a pleasant surprise.

 **End**

 **A/N: and the rest, I will leave up to your imagination :)  
I hope you liked it. Please let me know in a review?**


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